Two companies have been fined a total of HK$352,000 for causing injuries to three dancers at a rehearsal and a live concert by Hong Kong boyband Mirror last year.

A heavy LED screen fell while 24 dancers were on stage on July 28 last year and hit two of them, injuring one severely. Li Kai-yin, a dancer better known as “Mo,” suffered major injuries to his neck causing paralysis. He remained in hospital until recently.

Three days before the performance, a dancer fell during rehearsals when part of the stage failed to rise to ground level.

Engineering Impact admitted four offences including failing to ensure that devices were safe, failing to notify the Occupational Safety Officer of a serious accident within 24 hours and failing to give notice of an accident. The company was fined HK$220,000.

According to case details, Engineering Impact was the main contractor for the concert’s stage engineering projects while another defendant Hip Hing Loong was the sub-contractor responsible for providing and installing six large LED screens and suspension systems.

The suspension systems were purchased from mainland China by Hip Hing Loong and installed by the company’s staff. One employee, who did not have relevant qualifications, checked and tested the installations only with the naked eye, according to the case details.

Due to changes in the defence team, the court will hear the case against Hip Hing Loong next January.

In addition, three employees of Engineering Impact have been charged with conspiracy to defraud. They pleaded not guilty and the court will hear the case in October next year.

Dancers’ rights

The accident sparked questions about the employment status of Hong Kong dancers and the management of large-scale performances, which involves various parties and contractors.

Chan Wing-yip, vice-chair of the Hong Kong Theatre Arts Practitioners Union, told RTHK last August that dancers in Hong Kong had little bargaining power and it was difficult for them to fight against unreasonable arrangements.

There have been cases of dancers being “blacklisted” by organisers after pursuing compensation for injuries, he added.

Lee Shing-lam, father of the injured dancer Mo, said on Facebook on Thursday that his son until recently could not move his limbs and was still bedridden.

The father said he prayed for justice to be served and for Mo and other victims to be treated with the fairness they deserved.